This was fast-paced thriller that was not predictable. I don't want to give any of the story away here but will say this is a worthy read. The story line keeps you guessing and at many points I saw different characters being responsible for what had and was happening. I appreciated the alternating chapters and perspectives between the tow main characters.

#WomanOnTheEdge #NetGalley

Thank you to Net Galley for giving me an advanced copy of "Woman on the Edge".
Who is the guilty one that is making Nicole think she is going crazy? The author leads you down more than one path as you are trying to guess who it is that led to Nicole giving up her baby. Sometimes you feel it is her estranged brother, could it be her husband, her "best friend" at her company, the woman who Nicole babysat for years ago?? Everyone wants what's best for baby Quinn. But who is devious enough to try to get custody of her?
You need to read to the end to find out!
Interesting read, it kept me going late into the night. I love a good mystery that I think I have figured out only to find out differently later on.

A psychological roller-coaster ride of a thriller that goes from 0-100mph in the first chapter, grabs hold, and propels you with climbs and jerks of twists and turns with no let-up until the end when you are left breathless with the explosive climax. Morgan Kincaid is on a train platform on her way home from work when a woman, whom she has never met, thrusts her baby at her with instructions to keep her safe before jumping onto the tracks. Morgan is suspect of taking the baby and pushing the woman, whom she learns is the CEO of a company, Nicole Markham. She is determined to prove her innocence and protect the baby. The story unfolds in alternating chapters of story/viewpoints with the author building the story by going back in time (after the initial chapter) and revealing events past and present (of both Morgan and Nicole) leading to the day on the train platform before rushing forward to the shocking conclusion and end. The author did an excellent job in describing the fear and paranoia felt by Nicole as well as building the story slowly yet with breakneck speed at the same time. This was a book I just didn't want to put down. I loved it and will definitely be looking for more from this author. I thank NetGalley, the publisher, and author for an advance copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily and honestly.

This was a fast paced, quick thriller with two sympathetic yet imperfect protagonists. I enjoyed the two timelines and thought they switched back and forth fairly seamlessly. My one complaint about them was that Morgan seemed much younger than her supposed 43 years.

The culpable party wasn’t hard to guess but the motive was up in the air. I’m never a fan of endings where the bad guy’s motive is just based in them being a deranged lunatic and this felt like the case here because of how paper-thin the reasoning was. This is where I feel the need to shave off half a star.

Overall enjoyable, the perfect length for this kind of story, a decent conclusion. 3.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book as an ARC. This debut novel by Samantha Bailey was gripping and kept my attention throughout. I enjoyed reading the back and forth points of view from Nicole and Morgan. It was very sad to see someone's life unravel so much as did Nicole's and how she was targeted by those she held dear. Some of the book was a little unrealistic but overall a good read. I look forward to future books by this author.

This fast paced thriller will have you on the edge. It flips between past and present to deliver a who dunnit that will shock you. #WomanOnTheEdge #NetGalley #Thriller

What a great debut. It will keep you on the edge of your seat. Don't be like me and have stuff going on when you start this. Make sure you have nothing going on, because you want want to put it down. There are twists and turns, that lead to a surprise ending. A woman that is the head of her on company, struggles with postpartum depression. Another woman is dealing with her husbands betrayal. What happens in the first chapter, will grab you and not let you go.

Thanks to Netgalley for the book

I read this book in 2 days if that tells you anything. After just one page I was hooked. It was very reminiscent of B.A. Paris's book 'The Breakdown' but I don't want to give anything away so I can't tell you exactly which parts. And I liked 'Woman On the Edge' better than 'The Breakdown' because it had a lot more plot movement, suspense, and a larger cast of characters. Bailey crafts a story with enough people and different pieces of the puzzle to create doubt and many plausible explanations to keep you grappling until the very end. I also liked the back and forth between Nicole (the deceased) in the past and Morgan in the present. In Nicole's chapters we see the situation escalate and the sequence of events slowly becomes clear. In Morgan's chapters we sort through the aftermath, trying to make sense of it all. It helped break up what could become monotonous and repetitive. It was a good move to have two women's lives connect rather than just following one person's psychological distress as 'The Breakdown' did.

This book evokes a lot of what I'll call: 'mom-feelings' The stakes are high when a baby's well-being is hanging in the balance. Add in the grief, loss, and desire around having and losing a child and it will grip your heart in real ways.

One teeny tiny criticism: there are infant well visits and post-partum doctor visits right after a birth to help combat the very things Nicole dealt with. I would imagine they would have changed the outcome of her life drastically- but as usual- then we wouldn't have a story!

Especially for her debut book, this book is a win. The story is a win, the title is a win, and the cover is a win. I will be looking for her next book!

**I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

I received a complimentary copy of Woman on the Edge from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Great book! I was invested early on...what an attention grabbing hook! This was a novel that kept me guessing until nearly the very end. Following the dual points-of-view and timelines, I sympathized with Nicole AND Morgan.. One was paranoid, while the other was shunned for her husband's transgressions. Both found themselves in horrible situations (not of their own creation). This novel highlights the good and evil of at both ends of the spectrum of the human condition. An enjoyable read, this book kept my interest until the last page.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

I felt so many emotions as I read Nicole and Morgan’s points of view. I felt all the feelings of sadness, anger, frustration, and fear. The truth was shocking and really makes you think that you never truly know who to trust. This is definitely a book I will be recommending to others.

This book surprisingly kept me on my toes. I was expecting a similar line to other popular novels in this genre. The twists were appropriate and the characters likable. Their issues became ISSUES so that I could not put the book down! Definitely a great book to end the year!

What would you do if you were waiting at the subway & a strange woman shoved her baby into your arms, calls you by name, tells you to keep her baby safe, then falls over the edge & & gets killed by the train? Well that is what happened to Morgan Kincaid. The book goes back & forth between the mother Nicole before the accident & Morgan present day! Due to some issues with the law in the past Morgan is a suspect in the midst of Nicole which leads her to try to figure out what happened to this stranger who called her by name. I think this is a 3 1/2 star book due to the fact that Nicole was so depressed, but it kept you wanting more. I would definitely recommend this book.

Overall, a well-written and engaging thriller. I am always enjoy a dual-narrative approach, and this book has two different POVs (Nicole and Morgan) and timelines. As is customary in this genre, they come together at the end. The plot wasn't too complex and became pretty clear who did it from around the 2/3 mark.

The ending (specifically, the last chapter from Nicole's POV) left me a little confused, to be honest. Without spoiling anything, I need to go back and reread it to fully understand it.

It would be a good beach read, as it was short and didn't require too much brain power.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC to read and review.

Woman on the Edge was full of suspense and most assuredly compelled one to “read just one more chapter”.

It seemed (to this senior citizen) that nearly all scenarios were blown up waaaaaaaaay out of reality. The characters did not stay true to their foundation laid by the author. The big reveal was a surprise, but didn’t really mesh with what had gone before. And then the finale was all too predictable.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. There was certainly a lot of potential in this story, but for me, it just didn’t come together in a credible fashion.

3.5--
Woman on the Edge is exactly what it purports to be: an intense thriller that explores psychological complexities of motherhood and maternal instincts. While heavy-handed at times, and requiring significant suspension of disbelief (or else a willingness to forgive its departures from any believable reality), it is a solid effort and a worthwhile read for fans of the genre. Bailey manages to simultaneously tick all of the boxes as far as tropes go and give it just enough freshness to ensure that it doesn't venture too far off into the cliche. It reminds me of something I read or watched, but I can't remember what it was, which I think is why this is successful-- it feels familiar, without being purely derivative.

Suspenseful story of one woman trying to keep her baby safe and another woman who so wants a baby to love. The first woman is being haunted by the mother whose child died while under the care of the first woman. The second woman is the innocent one into whose arms the first woman throws her baby before leaping to her death in a train station...

Loved this book. It was a quick fun read. I figured out the ending but still enjoyed it. Would recommend.

I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Morgan and Nicole are from two different worlds. Morgan is a widow. Her husband committed suicide just a year prior. She has no children. And because of her dead husband's crimes, she has no friends or family. She's completely alone because even her mother believes that she knew what her husband was doing.

Nicole has what seems to be a good life. She built her company from the ground up. She has a loving husband, and she's just given birth to their first child. A secret from Nicole's past starts haunting her and she isn't sure if her paranoia is from postpartem depression or if someone is truly stalking and threatening her.

Morgan and Nicole had never met until Nicole shows up on the train platform. She walks up to Morgan, saying her name she hands her the baby and asks her to keep her safe, to love her, and then falls to her death in front of the train pulling in to the station.

Morgan becomes a suspect in Nicole's death. What is their connection? Not even she knows. As secrets are revealed and danger abounds, will the reason for Nicole's death be revealed?

This book was amazing! I couldn't put it down. It was nonstop anxiety because I couldn't find out what happened fast enough. This was one of the most intense books I have read for a while. The character development was outstanding. I felt as if I was right there in the story with them. I was yelling at characters, scared for them, and cried because of and with them. Bravo Ms. Bailey!

This was an amazing. A chilling there about a woman, Nicole passing off her baby to a stranger, Morgan before she steps in front of a subway train. Told in different perspectives with many twists and turns. It is a must read.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the kindle ARC of this book for an honest review.

Unfortunately this one fell short for me. Too many coincidences and improbabilities. The author asked for so many leaps of faith that I became aggravated with almost every character.

Felt like it could use a few more rounds of editing. Concept of the book seemed very interesting which is why I read through the end but it just didn’t turn around. There was little understanding of the medical or legal systems (ED physicians do not have financial control of a hospital and there is likely more than one Chicago detective, preferably one that’s not prejudiced), which may be due to the author’s Canadian origin.